The fifth-generation Camaro SS isn't supposed to act like the 1LE. It's supposed to plow into corners when pressed hard. Its helm should feel as artificial as AstroTurf. It's supposed to pivot, accelerate, and grip like the 4000-pound car it is. Not anymore. Those gripes have been largely addressed by diligent GM engineers keen on honing their ponycar into a Ford Mustang Boss 302-killer.

To get this very enticing Camaro, all it takes is an extra $3500 on top of the 1SS or 2SS' asking price. That additional dough brings a solid list of performance and aesthetic mods to the SS' repertoire. Exterior treatments include a ZL1-inspired (a lot of the 1LE package takes from the ZL1 parts/idea bin) and downforce-inducing front splitter and rear trunk spoiler, wrapped matte black hood and radio antenna, and 20-inch forged aluminum wheels covered in gummy 285/35R-20 Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar G:2 rubber. The 426-horse, 6.2-liter V-8 is left alone, but it does get a glorious two-stage exhaust system lifted from its 'roid ragin' 580-horse brother. Forget WOT blasts (though they are AH-MAY-ZING) -- startups are the bee's knees, and will likely set off some car alarms. Inside, you'll find a flat-bottom steering wheel wrapped in a suede-like material and an easy to navigate MyLink media system with a touch screen.

The Tremec TR6060-MM6 short-throw six-speed manual employs a sportier 3.91:1 final drive rather than the normal 3.45:1. Like in the ZL1, crisp shifts are had row after row, thanks to an air-to-liquid cooling system. There are ZL1 wheel bearings, toe links, and shock mounts, too. Monotube shocks replace the SS' more civilized twin-tubes. The stabilizer bars thicken to 27mm front, 28mm rear, and sturdier rear axle half-shafts cope with the newfound grip. A new front strut tower brace keeps everything tight, and a higher capacity fuel pump ensures the LS3 heart gets all the liquid strength it needs during high-G load situations.

You'd think that with a suspension like this, the 1LE would ride as stiff as a San Francisco cable car. Yes, more of what's going on below gets transmitted to your hindquarters, but it's not that jarring or punishing. And mind you, I say this after driving it nearly 1500 miles up and down the California coast over the course of a week.

Throw the Camaro into a corner and the new variable electric power steering returns a weighty and progressive feel. Body roll is kept to a minimum, and the front end grabs securely. Its Brembos kill forward momentum pedal stab after pedal stab, and the rowdy 6.2-liter smoothly doles its 420 lb-ft to the steamroller Goodyears. Associate road test editor Carlos Lago noted that understeer comes into play mid-corner, but stability is there and "the throttle makes it easy to modulate the rear end and induce oversteer." It's an orchestration of athleticism I've never experienced in any fifth-gen Camaro.

The 3860-pound 1LE posts admirable track numbers, too. Getting to 60 mph from nil takes 4.3 seconds; a quarter mile arrives in 12.7 seconds at 111.8 mph; braking from 60 mph to a standstill takes 101 feet. Most impressive: It achieved a 1.03 g average on the skidpad (for reference, that's stickier than a 2012 Audi R8 GT) and traced our figure eight in 24.2 seconds at an average 0.83 g. Before you Google "2012 Mustang Boss 302 Motor Trend", here are the 'Stang specs you seek: 3640 pound curb weight; 4.0 seconds from 0 to 60 mph; quarter-mile in 12.4 seconds at 115 mph; 60 mph to 0 in 106 feet; 1.0 g skidpad average; figure eight in 24.6 seconds at 0.81 g average. Feel free to discuss below.Don't get me wrong, the Camaro SS 1LE is still a big car, and you still feel as if you're sitting inside of a cave. Even so, this SS' footwork and stick is impressive. As Lago said, "This is how the Camaro should have handled out of the factory."It may not have the ZL1's fancy shocks; it's nowhere close to corralling 600 force-fed horses under a bulging hood; and it's not the quickest in a straight line; but the 1LE is a well-balanced, track-ready, and sufficiently powered performance edition that will make any Camaro fan proud.

I'm not a big fan of close ration trannys when driving in traffic. The 3.91 limits top end even with the 2 overdrive gears. I bought a 2014 2SS Camaro and will take the $3500 option money and add about $700 for Lingenfelter to make it 525 HP. It will run 11s and still go to 180 (with the governor removed and proper speed rated tires).. I will not have to change those "supercar" tires at 6000 miles 'cause the Pirelli P Zero tires grip well and last 12,000 miles. The 1LE will outcorner the SS a LITTLE. But the Lingenfelter 100+ extra ponies will let me run 11 second quarter mile ETs. The ZL1 needs a tune to run 11s.

Test drove a 2013 Challenger SRT8 , RT Classic and the the Camaro 2SS with Hurst shifter. The gas peddle on an automatic SRT8 was very touchy and damn near got whiplash barely touching the gas, and even worse, over the same roads the RT rode much better. The Camaro was loaded, need a moonroof to not feel sandwiched into either car, I am 6'1", but even my 5'3" wife felt claustrophobic in the Challenger. Overall the Camaro was a much better ride and the Hurst made shifting much easier. I drove both in the 1970's, today's cars are much more powerful and pleasant to drive, as expected. I like the Mustang GT and agree they do more with less, but the car is as a compact car for a reason, it is very small. Think I'm going with the Camaro, it was also the only one with a power passenger seat. All cars in the forty grand range as tested, no power passenger seat in the Mustang or Challenger, which I think is absurd.

They could have installed a 1963 327 with a 4 barrel and out performed what they put in this think. Why can't GM get the picture the Pony will out sell you as long as you think the way you do. Build a cheaper Camaro with a nice v8 like the 327 or a v 6 that will put some real Torque and HP to work like the people like Toyota do. Put it in a small old style Vett body and your sell the crap out of everybody. Gm is an embarresment Ford makes you look bad. Iwas always a Chevy man ,it ended in the early 70's.

Over the years I have owned then all I'll agree that mustang started to lose its retro in 2010. but bashing each other make is unheathy for the hobby They are ALL modern MUSCLE Cars or pony cars to be precise. I have a new gen Camaro SS/RS and an SRT 8 yellowjacket in the garage they both have there good points and bad points camaro geat road hugging car above than average performane retro look as i made it like my old 69 with badges and stripe in a tasteful way.

Challenger added new exhaust and cold air like i did on camaro but much much faster very retro out of the box alot more comfortable alot more bells and whistles baseline dynoed 443 hp 440 tq but then again it was almost a 50 k car to.

all of thes cars are probably going away as we know them because of new cafe standards EPA has put in place so get while you can.

I think they did a pretty good job with a "MODERN VERSION" of the Camaro...although, they tried to mix the 67-69 with the 70 1/2 and newer body styles. I wish the front and rear were a little more squared off. The pointed rear end really takes away from "the look"...If they really want to be competitive, why not make a smaller V8 with a turbo setup? Make gobs of power and still get decent MPG. Come on Chevy

I wish the GTO would have been continued. Too bad Pontiac is gone. The last 2006 GTO's (actually Aussie Holdens) were ordinary to look at but had great handling and had that 400 hp LS2 Vette engine. Fast, sounded great, plus were amazing good at drifting.

To bad for me I rented a SS this weekend for a 4 hour trip in Florida. I decided to do 125 on the highway when no cars were around me but coming around a corner that was blocked by trees was a good ole state trooper. Thank god he did not take me to jail. I took the ticket since this was first one in 10 years and was on my happy way. I will be going to driving school for this ticket but it was worth it. BTW he sited me for less.

I rebuilt a 67 RS from the ground up in the late 70's. My favoirite car of all time. When the current generation of Camaro arrived, I discovered that there is no head room due to the "chopped" roofline, even with the power seats all the way down to the floor. I was so disappointed. I have also discovered the same issue with the new gen Mustang and the Challanger.

I've always loved GM/Chevy but the Camaro is the worst looking reintroduction of a classic. The Charger, Challenger, Mustang and 370z look far better. Skidpads Gs are awesome once in a while but I have to look at it every day.

While I agree that GM has created a fantastic package for a reasonable price (sub-40-grand! Why can't the Boss be this inexpensive?), I have to point out that a tank with fancy suspension is STILL a tank. You still have 200+ lbs of excess weight, the cockpit is still unreasonably cramp for such a large car, and the interior leaves much to be desired. What's the point of showing off impressive numbers if you're having the devil's time trying to enjoy them?

as a '12 Boss owner (in the same color scheme as the Camaro above) and huge fan of the pony car rivals; i'm excited to see chevy make this happen. i hope i see one of these cars on my back road excursions through illinois. there's definitely some fun to be had, and some s**t to be talked, lol... nice review btw

@LMSC - The Camaro they just tested is 3,860 LBS according to this MotorTrend article. The Boss they tested was 3,621 LBS. My math says that's a 239 LB difference. I really doubt the Boss's 5.0 wich makes more HP would be a "mid 13 second car" if it was put in the Camaro. 239 LBS isn't 'that' much of a difference.

And people said the Camaro couldn't handle... or people said the only reason the ZL1 could handle was due to the MRC... Hilarious! Take a look at those numbers above and weep...fox1x - the Camro's a big boy (meaning weight considering it's on a full side sedan platform) so yes it takes a lot to motivate... put the 5.0L in a 3,900 lbs car and it would be lucky to run mid-13's. I'm for one glad that GM give this car the proper gearing (rear end and transmission) to get the car moving.

Would probably take this over the ZL1 and save myself the 18k. Sure i lose a supercharger and magnetic ride but the car still handels and accelerates like a dream without it. Just think this is the same price as a freaking 370z, very impressive performance for the price GM.

i see this as things to come. they are figuring out what will make up the 2015s. the next gen is still a couple of years out so there is plenty of time to tinker. i cant wait to see the reborn muscle cars charge through quarter miles with more power and less weight, and tear up tracks with new found handling skills. imagine what kind of G's the ZL1 could pull if it were not the same weight as a semi...2015 we will find out.

How is my analysis "pathetic"? The Mustang had a better 0-60 and a better 1/4 mile time, while the 1LE has a better skidpad and had better brakes and my prices are accurate, so me saying the Camaro is the better driver and the Mustang the better drag racer is correct. Read the article and learn the facts before you insult me.

You forgot to mention the biggest difference between the 1LE and the Boss, THE PRICE!!!! The Boss STARTS at 42k while the 1LE is only 37k, just another win for the General, once again the Camaro is the better drivers car, while the Mustang is the better straight shooter. Good job GM.